Brewster Weekly
January 7, 2022
We are here to do good things for our students, our coworkers, and our community.
We represent qualities such as love, hope, kindness, respect, and responsibility.
Our culture mirrors those attributes. Let’s continue to make our school the best place to work and learn where everyone is inspired to be the best they can be. What we do, we do well.
Let’s keep the courage to shape a bright future for our students.
Attendance Line
Please make sure to help our office staff by calling our attendance line to report any absence from school. Thank you so much!
248-726-3310 or report through ParentVue Online or the ParentVue App on your phone!
Calendar Updates
Jan. 3: Classes Resume
Jan. 11: PTA Meeting, 7pm, VIRTUAL
Jan. 14: Half-Day, Professional Development
Jan.17: No School, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Please Help
The car loop will move quickly with less foot traffic in the parking lot and utilizing our full length of safe sidewalk as routes to entry points. Please have students ready to exit on the right side of the vehicle and follow the sidewalk to their entry. We have 2 buses for initial arrival and more that arrive for a delayed start time.
ALL students can access their entry point from using the car loop sidewalk. Staff leaders are monitoring each entry. Success is dependent on our community support! Safety may be inconvenient and require patience, but our ultimate goal is to only have students on safe sidewalks, allowing for a safe flow of traffic, and keeping all community members safe by marked crosswalk use. Thank you for your support.
Welcome Miss Gass!
Hello! I’m Mary Gass! I am student teaching in your child’s music classroom this spring semester to finish up my music education degree through Oakland University. Throughout my degree, I have played French horn and tenor horn in OU’s Wind Symphony, Horn Ensemble, Brass Chamber Ensembles Brass Band, and two student operas. I have also been performing with the Oakland Symphony Orchestra since 2019. I have enjoyed mentoring brass students in youth orchestras and giving horn lessons- both virtually and in person. I have been living in Rochester for the past 2 years and am so glad I am able to teach in my home community. I am so excited to work with your children while they grow in their own musical journeys.
Positivity Project
Hello Brewster Community!
This week we will be focused on the character strength of optimism. Optimism means you expect the best from the future and work to achieve it.
Optimism represents a state of hopefulness and confidence about the future (both short and long term). People with this strength are future-oriented. They have a positive vision of what the future holds and maintain confidence that they will get there. Despite setbacks, they keep a positive attitude and often find ways to convert what seems like an obstacle into a stepping-stone to achieving their goals.
Optimism is not about wearing rose-colored glasses and rolling over when the going gets tough. It’s about staying focused on the good in any situation -- allowing you to be aware of opportunities and accountable for your emotions. Optimists are strong leaders. They find meaning in hardship and can create a vision for the future. Optimists are inspiring; their example is contagious. And, by sharing and achieving their vision -- despite setbacks -- they help us all achieve more.
To practice and encourage the character strength of optimism with your child, please visit the Positivity Project’s P2 for Families (password: P2), where together you will watch a video, read a quote, and talk about the answers to three questions.
Have a wonderful week!
Media Update
Media Update by Mrs. O'Rourke Jan., 2022
Happy New Year! It has been so great to see all of the kids back in library and chatting about the books they read over break! I hope you are staying healthy & I appreciate the donations the library has received.
We will always welcome tissues and we are looking for a few more things:
ü Empty, clean paper towel rolls or wrapping paper rolls
ü Any kind of tape
ü Marbles
ü Markers; any kind! Thank You!
Battle of the Books 5th graders have an opportunity to have fun & read a lot of good books! If your child is interested in Battle of the Books, please follow this link to the library’s info. https://rhpl.org/departments/youth-services
It’s not too late! I will be asking for team names & a parent contact in February as I plan to do a “Mock Battle” after school the week before the big event at the Rochester High gymnasium – Saturday, March 12 at 2pm. More info to come! But I will be needing some coach help to facilitate the “Mock Battle” & I hope you’re taking notes if you’re reading with kiddos as I need help with questions too! Thanks for considering! Email me if have questions.
In library this week, many classes reviewed & refined skills in Google docs. Ask your child about it! Kindergarteners enjoyed the classic The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats which inspired our own snowy day art using the drawing program KidPix.
Brewster Media Center Library is on Twitter, please follow us!
January Breakfast and Lunch Menus
Brewster PTA News
Family Event: Oakland University Basketball Game
The entire Brewster community is invited to attend the Oakland University Men’s Basketball game on January 29th at 3:00PM. General Admission seats are only $10 if you use the promo code BRWSTR. To order your tickets, follow these directions. If you have any trouble, email brewsterptapresident@gmail.com
1. Go to Oakland University’s Athletics homepage or use this link https://www.ticketmaster.com/oakland-university-golden-grizzlies-mens-basketball-tickets/artist/895199
2. Click on See Tickets for the January 29th Men’s Basketball game at 3:00PM
3. Click on Unlock (top right of screen)
4. Enter BRWSTR (you do not need a passcode)
Brewster Virtual Bingo Pajama Party is coming: February 4th, 7:00-8:00 pm!
Registration is now OPEN in the Membership Toolkit store! Space is limited and the event always sells out. Register for the event in the Membership Toolkit Store https://rhillsbrewsterpta.membershiptoolkit.com/store . Cost is $5.00 per family. Email Nitya Rai with any questions emailtherais@gmail.com
Families will need to porch pick up one bingo kit for each family member who wants to play. Bingo kits include bingo cards and small trinket prizes (everyone's a winner!). The pick up locations (in Judson Park and North Fairview neighborhoods) will be emailed out to registered families the week of the event and they will have all week to pick up their kits. The day of the event registered families will receive an email with a zoom link for virtual bingo.
On February 4th:
- Put on your PJs, grab some snacks and your bingo kits, put on some fun music and find a comfortable place for your family to play.
- Log into the zoom at 7:00 pm using the link that was emailed to all the registered families (you only need one device). Log in and MUTE yourself, you may choose to have your camera on or off.
- We will project the bingo caller board on the zoom.
- Play along and have fun!
- Throughout the night we will draw names for gift cards! Cards will be mailed or dropped off to your home.
Volunteer Opportunities
The PTA is looking for parent volunteers to help with the following:
-Our Nominating Committee (Help find parents to serve on the PTA Board)
-Our Adopt-a-Book program
-Coordinating our Health and Wellness Fair (4th grade parent)
If you are interested in learning more, email brewsterptapresident@gmail.com
Brewster Reads
It’s time to report your December reading for the Brewster Reads program! Login to the Membership Toolkit app and click on “Store.”
Because of the break, you have a couple of extra days to report — the form will stay open through January 10th!
Also, a paper version of the January calendar is included in this newsletter in case you like to have one for keeping track at home.
Happy reading!
Highlanders Helping Hands!
Highlander Helping Hands
Winter can be hard, especially on younger students who benefit from a one on one connection. Our Adams Highlanders have offered to be mentors, tutors, buddies and heroes to younger students from our feeder Elementary and Middle schools. We match students with similar interests for one on one Zoom or Google hangs, ideally once a week, but duration and frequency will be determined by the participants. Some student-generated ideas include:
- Read to/with younger students or create a virtual “book club”
- Drop materials off in advance and create makey- makeys, art projects, crafts or science projects virtually
- Offer homework assistance and tutoring
- Share the love of a sport, hobby or musical instrument and “practice” virtually
- Be a friend - let them know you care!
To participate, complete this form: https://forms.gle/xoQStPec3FMgtqM98
As soon as we have a match, you will be contacted by the student. For more information, please contact Barbara at adamsHShelpinghands@gmail.com